Cinderella Syndrome
by StolenHope
Summary: In the world of dating it's hard to accept someone's best and worst. For Hisagi Shuuhei it's almost impossible for him to accept himself, will be able to find the love he wants, or will his bitter attitude get in the way. Yaoi KenseiXHisagi, M for safety.
1. The Faster It's Over, The Better

The back of my eyelids was the only relief that life could give. Twenty-three years old and still trying to figure out a crazy thing called life. It was impossible with the world constantly changing to be able to plant your feet and pretend like you weren't being thrown out into expectations, to feel as if you were actually standing with your feet planted on the ground.

"You're coming Hisagi," His voice was shrill and ruthless.

"No," I replied not moving a fraction of an inch, trying to find the eternal peace in life, the one that could only be found in the afterlife.

"No?" His tone was questionable.

"No," I said telling myself to stay calm.

"No?"

"No!" I was going to lose.

"How about yes?" He asked and his lips twisted at the side.

Yumichika was could never be stopped. He was high-maintenance, egotistical, narcissistic, flamboyant and manipulative. He would always find the weakness behind your words and although we did not get along, I found that I was more often convinced to do unpleasant things by him.

"Fine…" I said with a shallow sigh.

I turned away from Yumichika, who I swear let a victorious smile run over his face, as he walked from the room. I let my eyes fall onto the mirror. Dark hair and pale grey eyes that could be taken as white from a distance; I would've been eye catching once… My hand came up and landed on the right side of my face tracing the three parallel lines that stretched down from forehead to chin.

"You going to be finished getting ready soon?" His voice came from the washroom.

I sighed as I climbed to my feet taking in the full picture of myself. The black t-shirt I was wearing clung to my chest letting my thin but muscular frame show and the washed out jeans sat nice around my hips showing a little but still giving enough to keep the mind guessing.

"I am ready," I said keeping as calm as possible.

Yumichika came back in the room and looked towards me with a disgusted look on his face, "You can't be serious."

"Yes, I am…"

He laughed and moved a hand to his lips, "Well at least I will not have an competition from you tonight."

He stalked out of the room with his laughter ringing behind as I sat back onto my bed. I wouldn't have been competition anyways… the scars made sure of that.

* * *

><p>"When you said we were go out and meet people, this is not what I thought you meant," I was a little frantic, a little nervous and very uncomfortable, this was not my thing at all.<p>

"Its speed dating," Yumichika said as he smiled and clipped number 11 onto his jacket, "You get two minutes to talk with people and decide if you like them."

The whole idea was ludicrous! You take two minutes to talk to someone and you are suppose to figure out in such a short time whether you would want to see them again or not? Preposterous!

"Look, they're better at this one," Yumichika said staring at me, maybe he saw something on my face that showed I was prepared to run, "If you are stuck with someone you don't like, they have a button set up. It's kind of like walking out of a date because it's just to horrid."

I couldn't help but have a small twinge of joy at the thought of that. Desperate people feeling instantly rejected as one after another the button is pressed before them. Although cruel it was the small piece of irony that made this activity maybe a little enjoyable and I was forced to clip my nine onto my jacket.

The process was set up that odds and evens would be on opposite sides of the table because most people choose to come with a friend. There would be no chance of me and Yumichika being sat across from each other although I did consider which one of us would've been the first to press the button.

We took our seats and stared across the table. The man across from me looked professional, calm, and quite handsome but he looked quite uninterested as he played with a phone in hand.

"Gentleman, please remember that names and addresses are not to be shared. When you hear the buzzer, the even numbers will move to the next table, if you feel you need to hit the stop button, excuse yourself from your table but return to the next table when the buzzer rings. Let the dating begin and good luck on finding happiness," The announcer said before the first buzzer sounded.

I stared at the man as he slid his phone into his pocket and looked up at me, "So do you do this a lot?"

"No," I said blunt and took a second pause, "to be quite honest I think it was a waste of money. I spent fifty dollars to sit with multiple people for two minutes and probably I will walk away in the same position as I came here tonight."

He stared at me for only a second before he pressed the button and stood up. I couldn't help but smile for a second because of the look of absolute humiliation flashed across his face; obviously this was not his first time here.

I turned my head to look towards Yumichika at the table beside and saw that he was sitting by himself, "What went wrong?" I whispered over to him.

"He wasn't attractive enough," he replied looking at his nails.

I sat in silence waiting for the buzzer to sound and when it did a scruffy looking man with long brown hair joined me.

"So what do you do?" He asked looking just over my shoulder and surprisingly I found that I was rather annoyed.

"I write an opinion article about whatever hits my mind at the moments for a entertainment magazine," I saw his eyebrow raise and his eyes actually moved to stare at me but I was already to annoyed and I pressed the button this time.

As he moved away I turned to Yumichika and he sat alone again, "Attractiveness again?" I said with a small smile on my face.

"He was chewing a toothpick, how disgusting," he replied as he stared in the mirror at himself.

Two for two had made me feel a little less enthusiastic about this situation and I debuted silently whether Yumichika would actually let me leave or if I would be able to sneak out without him noticing when the buzzer rang again.

I looked as the man sat down. His hair was pure business, cut short, professional and a nice shade of brown that brought out his nice skin tone and made his eyes pop. It was the guy that was at Yumichika's table before; the toothpick was still in his mouth.

"May I ask how you got the scars?" His voice was pleasant and he sounded honestly curious but the subject itself had always been taboo.

"Car accident," I said and my hand landed on the button again.

"I'm sorry to hear but it doesn't give you an excuse for being an asshole," He said as he climbed to his feet to leave.

I took a quick glance over and saw Yumichika, who had a hand over his mouth as he quickly laugh, had kept someone. Seeing that he had given someone a chance I felt a little disparaged at this situation.

"Excuse me sir," A woman asked from behind me and I jumped to look back at him.

"Something I can do for you? I'm in the middle of about 30 dates right now," I said in an annoyed tone.

He smiled and held out his hand, "I'm Isane Kotetsu, I'm the manager of the dating service, would you be kind enough to come with me?"

A smile spread across my face at the irony. After only three thirty second dates, I was going to be asked to leave.

I stood up and fallowed her as she began to walk behind the counter, "Just a quick word, you will have the choice to go back afterwards," she said as she lead me into a back office.

"What's it all about?" I said making my way in the office.

"Please close the door and have a seat," she said as she opened a file on the desk and I instantly began to wonder about the whole situation I was in.

I closed the door before sitting down and glancing towards the sheet in front of her.

"As I said, I'm Isane Kotetsu, the manager of this establishment," She said picking up a bundle of papers and holding them in front of her, "Along with our usual speed dating, we offer a private room for our special guests to come and have a couple of short dates themselves although they are able to select there own potentials. One of our special guests has asked if you would be so kind as to join him."

I stared at her for a moment and thought about the whole situation. Special guests obviously would refer to the quite wealthy or famous and to have someone in the situation take a noticing to me? It was so unreal.

"I guess I could meet him I suppose," the toying smile on my face must have shown that I was more eager then I wanted to let off.

"Very well," she said sliding the bundle of sheets towards me, "I need you to sign this, a standard gag order that says that you won't reveal the identity of our special guest or mention anything said or actions taken in our private rooms. It's our policy here."

My mind was racing in laps, going around the same words over and over just trying to make sense of what exactly was happening. I didn't know what I was about to get myself into but I knew it was too much. I screamed in my head to stop myself but reluctant of my thoughts, my hand took it upon itself to sign my name on the gag order.

* * *

><p>The idea of the story has been playing around inside my head and I more or less want to see what you think about it. I've been tied up between two different stories on which one I wanted to write first and if this one doesn't seem to catch the attention of anyone, I will remove it and post the other.<p>

Thank you to Jennamarie29 for the title of this story.


	2. Behind Door Number One!

What the hell was I doing? I had just signed a gag order to meet a stranger in a room that I wasn't allowed to talk about… I could be beaten or raped and I wouldn't legally be able to say anything! I guess it's just one mistake after another with me.

I stared at the door marked VIP six but couldn't bring myself to enter. What if this guy was just like the ones on the floor? Did I have the opportunity to leave at any point in time? Did I have a button to press and make the date end?

"Just open the door and come in!" His voice was ruff and it startled me a little, could he see me here?

To be honest, I would've loved to walk in the room in a way that screamed out confidence but unfortunately at this point that was not going to happen, the best I could hope for was that I wouldn't fall straight onto my face.

My hand moved up to the handle and with a quick sigh I opened it to the room. Usually I would've enjoyed the overall take of the room, simple yet comfortable, but in this instant the room was the last thing on my mind. Across the table sat a muscular man with hair as white as snow hanging over part of his face, skin the softest tone of bronze imaginable and those pale blue eyes that seemed to drown me.

"Come in and sit," he said not making direct eye contact with me but regardless keeping his eyes straight on me as nodded slightly towards a chair across the small table from himself, "there's beer in the fridge," his hand flashed towards a mini fridge in the corner of the room.

I sat across the table and took in my surroundings. Mini fridge in the corner beside a tan couch with a potted tree on the other side of it, a wardrobe that was probably meant for hanging up jackets, and on the other side of a room was a wall of televisions. At first I didn't know what to take of it, they were all focused on an empty chair and I could see people walking around the chair but no one came clearly into picture. Wasn't that…

"You were watching me?" I asked refusing to take my eyes off the seat I was sitting in no more then ten minutes ago.

"You are quite fascinating," he replied but still he showed little emotions towards me, "Mind if I ask some questions?"

"You mean you couldn't here me answering their questions?" I asked finally turning my attention towards him.

Our eyes met in the moment and I knew instantly that I would answer anything he asked or almost anything. It was as if finally for a split second the world became understandable and bearable, as if I had finally figured out what it meant to be truly alive but I wasn't going to let him know all this.

"You can ask but that doesn't mean that I will answer them," I said placing my hand on the table between us and my eyes drifted down to linger on it, "Does that mean I get to ask some questions?"

"We'll go question by question if that is what you wish, as long as I get the first question," The tone of his voice did not change, he seemed completely comfortable with the situation and the last thing I wanted was to let him know that I was silently screaming out in my head as I plotted my escape.

I could only nod.

"You don't do this a lot?" He asked moving slightly so he had a better view of my face as I stared at my own hand.

"I prefer to stay in, the social scene doesn't do it for me," I spat out the words before I knew what I was saying, "You do this a lot?

He was quiet for a second before his words came, he seemed to be analysing each of them, "Yes and no. I do come here a lot, watch what is happening, listen to their answers but this would actually be the first time I have invited anyone in here," He placed his hand onto the table just opposite of mine, "Tell me about your friends."

"I have an irrational roommate with an eating disorder, does that count?" I asked and for a second I looked up to regret it again. He had leaned a little closer towards me and I met his eyes again.

"I guess it could, favourite activity?"

For a second I heard it or at least I thought I did. It had sound like a joyful ring in his voice. He sounded carefree, happy even and the sound itself had lifted my own spirits… I wanted to hear it again.

"Isn't it my turn for a question?"

I felt the shift in the air and looked up to see him leaning back with a smile toying over his lips, he looked incredible, could this really be happening to me? "You asked a question though, you asked if it counted and now you asked a second so I guess I get two in a row. Now, what's your favourite activity?"

I couldn't take my eyes off his as that smile melted through me. He sat there staring at me, his eyes locked directly with mine and I felt so much intimacy that I wanted to turn away… only problem was that I couldn't.

"People watching. Half the articles I write are about what I witness and my opinions on the manner."

"You hungry?" He asked as he leaned forward again and looked directly in my eyes drowning me again.

"A little, I haven't eaten yet."

I didn't notice the button until his hand was moving towards it. It looked exactly like the date stop button and for a second I felt pain and even worse I could feel the tears sting my eyes.

I climbed to my feet and bit my lip slightly, "If you wanted me to leave you could've just asked, I signed the fucking gag order although I have no idea who you are," I turned to leave but a hand caught my wrist.

"What are you talking about?" His voice was velvet smooth, so warm.

I turned to face him, expecting him to be sitting but instead he was standing right behind me, my wrist in his hand, "You pressed the button, you want me to go."

"I press the button for service," He said continuing to stare towards me, "There's no stop button in here, I will want you to stay until you want to leave."

Our eyes were locked and I was speechless. I stared towards him and flawed at the perfection all over him, he was breathtaking, not a fault on his beautiful face.

A knock came at the door and I watched as his lips slowly moved into the words come in but no sound came, I was too far lost in a trance. I tried to move towards my seat but his hand pulled me back into his chest and caught me with his second landing on the small of my back. He was so close and I could feel him moving closer as he dipped me towards the floor. His eyes were locked on mine as his lips moved forward. I told myself to breathe which was almost impossible in the situation, he was so closer and then he was closer. His lips landed on mine and everything in the room felt still. He was kissing me? I was kissing him back? How did all this happen?

Confused as I was I couldn't help but respond to what was happening. I clenched his shirt in one hand and pulled the other one from his lock on my wrist so our palms were together.

The kiss may have lasted seconds or hours but the daze did not wear off when our lips parted, "My name is Kensei Muguruma," he spoke softly lifting me away from the ground not releasing his grip upon me, "and I would be honoured to see you again after tonight."

I could feel someone else in the room and I could hear his every word but I was so speechless, so lost in the moment that I couldn't give more then a squeeze to his hand to show that I wanted to, that I wanted to more then anything.

His arms grew tighter around me and I leaned my head forward so my forehead was resting on his collarbone, what was happening? I just learned his name after a kiss and more surprising then that was that I was happy about the whole thing? I was never happy about anything.

"Is there something you would like me to bring you?" The voice broke through my thoughts and I tried to pull out of Kensei's arms but they held me tight.

"I would appreciate a bottle of champagne and whatever my friend here would like," his words rumbled in his throat and I felt his chin land on the top of my head.

At this moment was when I realized he was waiting for my response. He wanted to know what I wanted but I had not even seen the menu and in my panicked state I said the first thing that came to my mind for food on restaurant menus, "Nachos."

"Very well, I will have them get it ready," her voice replied as she left the room.

He held me close to him and serenity seemed to fallow. I knew it a relationship for us would be hopeless but regardless it was all that I preyed for, I wanted him to keep me like this for as long as possible but I couldn't ask him to burden all my pain, it would be too hard on him.

"Before we set up plans to go out again, can you tell me your name?" His voice was soft and sweet, rich and luscious, safe and relaxing.

"Hisagi… Shuuhei Hisagi…"

* * *

><p>For those who caught it – there is reluctance in Hisagi's mind and this will come to play in later chapters so keep it in mind. The story is off with a kick with the indication of love at first sight but quick frankly I don't know exactly what will happen next so I will probably be writing multiple third chapters before even posting the next… this shouldn't take too long. I should probably warn people that I do specialize in angst stories and I have not decided how this one will end. If anyone would like to help me come up with some date scenarios, send some PMs and I will consider them… I am not great with dates…<p> 


	3. Magic Fingers Don't Fail Me Now

The pieces of the previous night didn't really click into place until the fallowing day where it dawned on me that my love life was nothing more then a havoc wreckage. The closest thing to a love life I have ever had was a serious relationship three years ago; at least it was serious in my mind, and a countless amount of one night stands since, why did I want to go through this all over again.

Mindless my fingers tapped across the keyboard of my laptop as I hunted for the next title to my column but nothing could seem to break through the resent I had with myself for setting myself up for another painful heartbreak.

"Hisagi," Yumichika said as his head popped into the opening of my room, "There's a message on the machine for you, Kensei something asking about your date."

I bit the inside of my lip and considered going to listen to it but regardless of how much I wanted to I just couldn't bring myself to do it, I couldn't just lay down and accept the pain that was destined to come.

"Did you hear me?"

I nodded my head without taking my eyes off the screen before me as slowly my fingers began to type the title of the article _The Two Minute Date. _It would be something interesting, something unusual and maybe even something that was a little humorous; something different from my usual rants.

"You know," He began making his way to stand in the doorway, "you can't always avoid humanity, not everyone will be another Tosen."

"Stay the fuck out of my life!" I shouted jumping to my feet. It was obvious by now after living together for the last four years that the subject of my past relationship was not to be mentioned but no matter how long he avoided it, it was obvious that he planned to bring it up again and again.

"Then live your life and stop pretending you are content with how it is," his voice matched my anger and, although it was not concern, there was something hidden in his expression.

"Just get out, I'll take the message when I am ready," I said sitting down and focusing on the screen again but my mind was lost again with thoughts of Tosen.

Tosen and I had been together since our sophomore high school year, the perfect couple as everyone decided to tell us. We were happy and popular and I had this wonderful guy or at least he was a wonderful guy until we graduated.

After graduation we both went off to college together but lived across campus, it wasn't bad but it wasn't ideal either. We still spent as much time together as possible by meeting after classes, going out after our days had ended and we even went away together for spring break, drove out to the hot party beach and had a blast together but that was the beginning of the end of our relationship, the last happy moment we had.

It was dark and stormy, rainy pouring around us and I was squinting through the windshield to see the road before us. We had chosen to stay till the last minute, just race back and get some sleep before our morning classes but the thick downpour was against that. I had suggested just missing the next day of classes and staying another night but Tosen was against it, he was deadest to get back to finish his works of art as he called them. There were so many things happening at once for me to be completely aware of the road. Tosen had begun to argue with me about how we weren't going to make it back safely and how I was going to ruin any hope he had in wowing the teachers that my mind was racing it circles and I didn't notice the spinning car in front of us. It happened so fast that I had no time to react from when it dawned on me what was happening and the next thing I knew the car was around a tree. The spinning car's rear end had collided with the front left side causing our car to swerve off the road and into the tree. I don't remember anything after that until I woke in the hospital.

The car had been totalled and the doctors all agreed we were lucky to survive. I was lucky to have just had some cuts on my face; three down the left side of my face and one across the bridge of my nose stretching just short of my ear on the right side of my face, but Tosen had suffered more, he'd gotten multiple glass shards in his eyes which had caused to many injuries that would be impossible to operate on… he was blind for life.

Over the next two years, we tried to make it work but he constantly blamed me and tried to destroy me mentally. He began to sleep around without attempting to cover up his affairs and when confronted he would lash out at me. I felt too guilty to leave him and felt that it was my place to look after him but my whole world crashed just short of my graduation. He told me he was leaving me for his most recent affair, one that I had even walked in on myself. He told me that I was too emotionally damaged for him and he couldn't begin to fix me, he told me it was because he hated me and just left.

A stronger person would've grown from this and moved on; would've realised that nothing could've changed the situation and would've used this as a stepping stone in their life but I guess I was weak. I spent the next three years wallowing in my own sorrow and became so jagged that no one wanted to be close to me, even if I was to allow them in.

I stared at the screen and thought back at all the problems; the problems I could never fix. Did I really want to start this all over again? Be responsible for ruining another person's life?

The phone rang breaking through my thoughts and I reached out to pick it up without thinking, "Shuuhei Hisagi here."

"Hisagi, it's Kensei," His voice was calm and smooth, so inviting and warm.

"Oh, hello…" I said mentally dreading this moment, "I've been meaning to get back to you, I don't think that going out would be the best thing for me right now. I'm sorry."

"Well, how about on Saturday, I have the perfect idea."

"No, I mean going out at all, it just won't work with me… I've got to go, I have work to do."

I hung up the phone without listening to anymore. I couldn't do it all again, it was all too much for me; I wouldn't let myself be hurt all over again.


	4. An Ice Cube Staring Down Fire

The room was flourished and nicely decorated but still I felt uncomfortable under the watchful eye of the receptionist behind the dark who was silently scrutinizing my every moment.

It seemed odd that just a week ago my life, although not perfect, had seemed to be complete….

I didn't have love….

Or Money….

I wasn't happy….

Didn't have anyone that I could really turn to when I needed someone….

I was content with it though… it was just right for me. Maybe it wasn't complete but it wasn't in shambles and there was no way I could go back to it now. You know what they say though… when life gives you lemons… you make lemonade.

Maybe after today, I will lay down in bed and just wake up to find out this has all been a terrible dream… I will wake up and go to work… the day before this whole thing started.

* * *

><p>"You're fired," his voice was steady, calm, more relaxed then I thought it would be at a moment like this.<p>

I stood there momentarily in a daze before finally the word came out, "Why?"

He picked a piece of paper up off the desk and rose it to read, "_Sadly my experience with the two minute date was unfortunate but maybe with a little luck you could find someone amongst the freaks, geeks and the ones that are just not datable."_ The paper fell to his desk and his eyes moved back up onto me, "Although your pieces have border on controversy, they have never put us in a position that could get us sued. Our legal board believes that there is no other choice but to terminate you from the magazine."

I was overcome with shock; this was not something that I could have foreseen. I knew that the article was a little strong but I hadn't fully thought about the consequences of that closing passage; didn't think about the people whom had been speed dating actually reading it. I could see the mistake that I had made but I was reluctant to let go of this job.

"I've been here for two years, I've done my work, always got it in on time, isn't any of that worth anything?" I knew it was a desperate plea but I still had a shred of hope.

"Hisagi, I am aware of your work and I am not completely leaving you empty handed. You will get a two-week severance package," he said as he spun his chair around and began to flip through a pile of papers on a cabinet behind him.

"That's it?" Even to myself I was beginning to sound a little hysterical.

"Please stay calm Hisagi," He said spinning his chair around and holding a business card out for me, "This is Live Last Corps card, call it and they will set up an interview for you. They called earlier this week and seem quite interested in you. I'm sorry it had to happen like this though."

* * *

><p>I knew it wasn't a dream. Nowhere in my jaded mind have I ever created something so devious to fracture what little self-esteem and confidence I had left. I am a writer, I thought I was a damn-good one but now I am questioning that as I sit here awaiting my interview.<p>

When I had called in to schedule it, they seemed more then eager to get me in, it seemed more like they had a desk set up for me and that the interview was just a façade to keep up appearances… they seemed to know what they wanted and they wanted me…. Regardless of that, I was nervous as an ice cube staring down fire.

"Mr. Shuuhei, Mr. Muguruma is ready to see you," The receptionist said with a smile on her face; her pleasantries seemed to be as fake as the large red nails that hung off each of her fingers.

As I stood and lifted my suitcase that name played in my head. It was trying desperately for me to recall it - I knew it but I couldn't place my finger exactly where it was, maybe I had read about him somewhere? It was the obvious answer but somehow it just didn't seem right and the real reason why I knew the name just wasn't coming to me.

"Thank you," I said bowing my head slightly towards her and moving through the doors.

His chair was turned towards the large window away from me so all I could see was a hand on the armrest as I made my way towards the desk and sat down.

"I'm Shuuhei Hisagi," I spoke as I took a seat and was surprised to see that he did not turn his chair to face me.

"When I first went to see Mr. Urahara about you, he seemed less willing to allow you to leave, why the sudden change of heart?" His voice seemed so familiar…

I know that voice from somewhere but where… it almost seems as if it came straight out of my dream… now if only I could remember that dream.

"He was less enthusiastic with my last article then I would expect him to be."

"What was it about?"

"It was titled…" _Oh god, no! It can't be him! _"…The two minute date…"

Silence seemed to fill the room, not the awkward silence that often fell after a bad joke, more of a tense silence that almost felt as if it was eating away at your soul. A silence that you know should be broken but you just can't seem to push yourself to do it. _Alright Hisagi, you just need to breathe…_

"K…Kensei?" My voice was shaking with a mix of anxiety and fear.

The chair slowly started to turn but with each inch it spun, time seemed to move slower and my thoughts seemed to run faster and faster, _please don't be him, Muguruma isn't such an unheard of name. _

The chair stopped and my two-minute date nominee was staring towards me, "So you remember me?"

I stood up and stared at him. There were so many things that I could say and do but of coarse, being as jaded as I am, I had to jump down to the absolute most negative stance I could've taken.

"So telling my boss you had a job for me was just a way to get me in here to talk? I told you that I was uninterested, maybe I just wasn't clear enough but it's just not going to happen. I just lost my job so if you are through wasting my time, I need to go," I turned my back and began to move.

"You have a job," His voice almost sounded smug.

I turned towards him about to yell at him for his sick sense of humour but stopped. I don't know why but it was just the way he stared at me. He didn't have gooey eyes or anything like that, his elbow was on the desk holding up his cheek and his expression looked utterly bored but there was just something in his eyes… something that radiated… intensity.

"Are you serious?" It was all I could say; he completely captivated me again.

"Yes, you can come in on Monday, you will have an opinion section that will also go with an advice column, maybe one or two letters a month. I will match your salary of your old position plus an additional ten percent to make sure you don't run off **again.**" He spoke with such confidence, he made it seem as if I didn't have a choice.

"But I don't do advi…"

"You will learn, I have a feeling that you will be good at it," He spun his chair around and looked back out the window, "I'll see you on Monday."

"Yes sir, thank you," I said slightly bowing to him although he couldn't see and moved towards the door.

His voice stopped me as my hand hit the handle.

"And Hisagi," he said and I heard the chair squeak as it spun back, "it won't be long until you realize that I am everything you want."

* * *

><p>This chapter has been written and re-written so many times it's not funny. I couldn't quite work out how everything was suppose to happen and even know it's just not sounding perfect as I would like it. I am sorry for the long delay but I would not allow myself to post something that I was not satisfied with.<p> 


	5. White Fang Gets The Caged Rabbit

I stared across the living room towards Yumichika, whose face was completely unreadable for the first time in his life. I had just finished walking him through the days events and I wasn't sure if his face was unreadable because he just hadn't finished processing everything or if it was just due to the fact that he was confounded by my horrible luck.

"He… hired… you…" His words exited his lips in the slowest way I had ever seen before.

"Yes…"

"With… a… raise…?"

"Uh-huh."

"Then… he…"

"Stop doing that!" I shouted out clenching my hands in my lap, "I am already stressing enough without having you speaking like that and driving up my anxiety."

"Alright… Give me a moment…" He said before he placed a finger to his lip and looked off into space.

The clock on the wall was the only noise in the room. The gentle clicking of the second hand was not relaxing, it was slowly sending my anxiety to new levels but still Yumichika sat thinking and thinking for what seemed like hours.

"He actually said that he was going to make you realize you wanted him?"

"I may have paraphrased it just a little bit…" I said turning slightly away from his eyes.

"What were his exactly words?"

"His exact words were 'It won't be long until you realize that I am everything you want'."

Maybe I had been wrong about Yumichika. He was actually sitting here and listening to me and actually seeming to care about what I was saying. Maybe this was going to be the start of a friendship instead of the companionship that was forced upon us by becoming roommates… maybe we will actually get to the point where we enjoy living together.

"This is better then my favourite soap opera!" He shouted and looked at me with such envy, "So what are you going to do!"

I was wrong, he's just as shallow as he's always been, so much for our new coming friendship…

"That's what I am asking you!" I shouted as I jumped up on my feet, "I don't really know many people and you are really the only person that I can ask about… this stuff…"

"Hmm…" He said placing his finger to his lips, "Well, it's obvious that he's got a thing for you and he's apparently good-looking and wealthy… so what's there to question? Take the leap!"

I sat back down and broke the eye contact with him. Kensei was good looking and he didn't seem to have a bad attitude but just the thought of him telling me what I wanted completely turned me off from the idea, even more so then my past experiences on dates.

"That's not what I want to hear, I want to know how I should draw the lines with him, how to make it clear that it won't happen."

"Ah… Well, you just need to make sure you aren't alone with him and if you are, just make sure you keep your distance. You have to keep eye contact because avoiding it will just make him think you can't look at him without having some… inappropriate thoughts. You have to treat him as your boss and nothing else, make sure you clearly draw you line and make sure he understands that," Yumichika said counting off things on his fingers, "But honestly, if you ask me, would it really be that bad to have a little extra work place insurance?"

I turned to him and felt my eyes widen to the point where they felt like they could fall out of my head, "I am a professional!"

_Just remember what Yumichika said, make eye contact, keep your distance, don't be alone and you'll be fine, just fine._

I carried myself through the front doors into Live Last Corp and a sudden awe took over me. Everything in this building looked absolutely pristine, immaculate, gorgeous… Strangely it didn't make this impression the last time I had come in.

"Hisagi," his voice hit my ear and I felt his hand press onto my lower back, "You are a little early, good thing I came in to make sure you found your way around."

I jumped forward and turned to face him keeping my eyes locked with his; those pale blue orbs were hypnotic, how was I supposed to look at them all day?

"Sir, yes, good morning," I said bowing just low enough to keep my eyes locked on his.

He moved past me in a swift and graceful method that lead straight to an elevator. His strides were long and elegant moving in a way that would cause a model to question their own steps… Why was he interested in me?

Just three steps behind him, I reached him just as the doors opened to the empty small cubical. No one else was riding the elevator at this time? How could that be?

He entered and looked at me frozen at the door, "You coming?"

It took me a moment to realize that there was no other choice that would allow me to look professional and still keep me from being in a small, cozy, isolated area with him… "Sir, yes."

I took those three small steps in and stood on the opposite side staring at him, keeping my eyes locked on his.

"You will be working on the sixteenth floor, mostly just cubicles but I have arranged for you to have the office on the right side of the elevator," he said pressing the sixteenth button, "that way it won't be far for you to go to come up for lunch with me," his eyes narrowed a little, "and for me to come down for the occasional visit."

"Yes, sir," I gave a quick nod. _Why was I agreeing to that?_

"And stop with this sir crap, just call me by my name…" He may have missed it but I saw his lips curl into a smile for a second.

"Yes, Mr. Mugu…"

"Kensei…" he said standing straight up.

"Alright Kensei," I said feeling a small blush creep up on me, "Does everyone or is that a special request of me?"

_Why did I say that?_

"Special request, I figured it would be alright," He said.

The next second was a blur really; I took my eyes off him for a second to look at what floor we were at and by the time I looked back he was in front of me. One of his arms wrapped around my waist pulling me closer to him, the other hand fell onto my cheek and his lips captured mine.

Momentarily I was stunned, frozen in the second but gradually I pushed him back with all the force I could muster up.

"What the hell was that?" I shouted out pressing myself farther away from him and making direct eye contact, "What if someone had gotten on the elevator? What would they have said? That's sexual harassment!"

He stared at me his eyes narrowing slightly, "Well, first, it would be highly unlikely for anyone to get on the elevator since it's reserved for people with the key. Mainly editors, department heads, sales supervisors and those who I see fit to have one. Second, you were giving me signals, I thought you had…"

"What signals?"

A smile crossed his lips and he moved a little closer to me, "I've noticed that you just can't keep your eyes off me, not since you walked in."

My jaw dropped a little. I had tried to keep eye contact and keep my conversation strictly professional just so he would realize that I was only interested in a professional relationship with him, what was I suppose to do?

I dropped my eyes to the floor and before I knew what I was saying, the words left my mouth, "Yumichika, you are a dead man…."

* * *

><p>Dedicated to Jimaine for reveiwing last chapter less then an hour after I posted it... I don't know if I should be impressed or if I should be a little worried since that was so quick... Anywho - Hope you enjoy, chapter 6 is done and will be posted when 7 is done. Enjoy the irony of the newly added chapter titles :D.<p> 


	6. Piranha In The Goldfish Tank

"You're plan didn't work!" I screamed into the receiver of the phone still standing on my feet and on-guard.

I had made it out of the elevator and around the floor on a personal tour with Kensei although I am not sure how. I wouldn't admit it but after the kiss I had to remind myself everything. I had to remind myself to breath, to walk, even to blink but I had made it.

"What are you talking about?" His arrogant voice was attempted to sound innocent but I could hear through it, he'd planned on this happening.

"He kissed me! He said that I couldn't take my eyes off him!"

A chuckle came across the phone line and I could feel tension growing in my stomach. There was nothing in this moment that could be taken for humour so why was he laughing.

"I just need a new idea so I can draw the line, how do I get him to realize that there's no personal relationship between us?" I know that it would've sounded as a plea to anyone else but Yumichika would take it as a compliment seeing as he believed he had the answer to every relationship problem out there.

"Well, if he thinks keeping eye contact is just because you can't take your eyes off him, do the exact opposite and just don't look at him," the sly voice came again, "But you are the one that says his face is to die for."

"I never said that!"

"You said he was quite handsome so in translation, his face is to die for."

I sighed and sat down into my chair, "I'm hanging up now…"

"Wait! I need to know everything that's going on!" He screamed at me but having my life and misfortune paraded around for his entertainment just didn't catch my fancy.

I hung up the phone and looked around my office; it was simple to say the least. The walls were a soft beige and bare; I would have to find something to put up, the only furniture in the room was a bookshelf; that supported a dictionary and a thesaurus, my desk; at least it was wood, and three chairs. There was nothing on the desk except a nameplate, neatly stacked pile of envelopes, a computer, a phone and a calendar, which had tomorrows date circled with Kensei at noon written on it.

I guess it wasn't too bad though. I didn't really have much decorations at home either, just a lot of clutter and by the time I handed in my first article there would be enough clutter over my desk.

That brought my thoughts back to the advice column, how exactly was that going to work? I was not someone people told their problems, how was I supposed to help them with their lives when I couldn't even really fix mine? Maybe it wouldn't be so bad in that sense, maybe everything would work out… should at least give it a shot.

I picked up the first envelope and leaned back in my chair pulling out the letter.

_Help me!_

_I've been recently divorced after 10 years due to my husband's affair. I've moved in with my mother and although I find her restricting and almost suffocating, I can't bring myself to leave, I just can't find the courage to live alone after so long of having that bastard with me._

_What should I do?_

I stared down at the letter and picked up a pen before writing across the letter _get a cat_. I couldn't help but smile thinking it over. Sure, it would help her move out and become a little self-reliant, maybe even give herself some confidence but what really made me smile was knowing their was a possibility that I would have just created the next crazy cat lady. I could almost see her now with multiple cats racing around her house….

My focus was torn away as my office door opened and Kensei entered as if it was no big deal but instead of saying anything he just stared at me in silence.

"Sir, is there something I can help you with?" I asked dropping my eyes away from him and staring at the letter.

I heard the door close and out of the corner of my eye I watched him sit down in one of the free chairs, "I was going to suggest that you try your luck with some of the letters on the desk," he said staring at me, "but it seems that I am a little late for that. Just figured I should try to motivate you."

"Yes, sir," I said placing my hand over the little comment I had jutted down in hopes that he wouldn't notice my movement.

"I told you, I want you to call me by my name Hisagi," his words were velvet smooth and I did want to look up at him but I knew that I would be back to where I started.

"Alright Kensei but why?" Can't look at him.

"Because I love the way it sounds coming from your lips," I saw him shift but I restrained my eyes and kept them focused on the letter, "Anyways, let's see what you've got here," he said before his hand pulled the letter from me with just great speed that I couldn't stop him.

"I don't think I am going to use that, it was just a fleeting thought really, I wouldn't want to offend…" My flustered words were suddenly silenced by smooth voice.

"I like it but you need some more depth to it. Be sure to finish it up so we can put it in the next issue."

I don't understand exactly why it happened but I felt the blood rushing into my face and my eyes shot up to look at him. The surprise of hearing that he agreed with my advice really had taken me off guard; I had to look up to make sure he was serious… I could use that as my excuse right?

Before I knew what was happening, he was on his feet leaning over the desk, his hand holding my chin and his lips pressed softly against mine. I knew I should stop it but I was stunned. I could taste his sweet breath, could feel the movement of his soft lips, feel the burn of his smooth hands across my jaw… I was stuck.

As his lips parted from mine, it took me a second to realize what had just happened, "Are you done now?"

"For now I think."

"Good," I said before my hand rose up and slapped him across the face.

His hand released my jaw and found it's way to his cheek and I felt my chest tighten at the look of betrayal on his face, at the pain that would only be that of a man who's lost his love. His head dropped and I wanted to apologize, I wanted to tell him I was sorry but by doing so I would be allowing him to have the upper hand and showing him there was more to our relationship then just a boss and employee interaction.

"I guess I read the signals wrong again?" He said turning towards a wall with his hand still pressed onto his cheek.

"What signals?"

"You couldn't look at me, it was if you were fantasizing about me."

I put a hand into my hair and crumpled my fist, a nervous reaction I seemed to have when I was becoming stressed, "Because… looking… at… you… gave… the… wrong… opinion…! Is there anyway I can win here?"

He stood up and moved towards the door with elegancy, "For the time there is but soon enough you will realize how much you are really in love with me," his words were sweet and smug.

I jumped to my feet and fallowed him as he exited the door, "That won't happen! I will never realize that because I don't! Your wrong!" _Or maybe I'm just trying to fool myself_, "…And next time knock."

That was enough to start the office gossip for the next week and believe me I heard it all. I heard the hidden allegations about me. Heard how I had fought with the CEO and how the CEO had left looking as if he'd been punched. I heard that I was blackmailing him for my job and that's why I had gotten the office, had heard the wildest things possible and strangely as I became the piranha in the goldfish tank, I enjoyed the peace and quiet my new job ensured.


	7. The Dreaded DWord

A month had passed since I first started working with Live Last Corp and it was going amazingly. Since beginning three issues had hit the shelves and it seemed that my fan-base had begun to grow. It was nice to be able to sit around and read the problems in other people's lives but at the same time depressing. It was true that they were slowly falling apart and reaching out to a stranger was all they had but I had already fallen apart and reading about their relationship problems did nothing for me.

The knock on the door seemed to pull me from my thoughts and I looked up to see Shinobu Eishima's head pop in, "You heading down to lunch with me?"

His voice was smooth and his face was… well beautiful, there would be no other way to possibly describe it right. His skin was flawless, his eyes the perfect brown and it was all frame but his gorgeous red hair. He would be classified as gorgeous to anyone… except for me; he just didn't have that charm Kensei did…

I put down the letter I was half through and smiled up towards him, "Why don't you just grab something and bring it up to me?" I said in a mockery tone.

Eishima was the only one that didn't seem to treat me as if I was going to eat them alive, either he knew better or he was too serious about his job to listen in the gossip… or maybe the rumours of me just hadn't gone up to the sales floor yet or at least gotten to the sales supervisors yet.

He took a few steps forward and held out his hand, "If I am playing delivery boy, you can at least pay."

It was a fair deal but upon handing him the money he smirked and made his way out the door saying, "I like eating in here better then the cafeteria, I would've done it for free to be honest."

There was just something about Eishima that I couldn't say no to. He seemed always at ease, calm, and even collected. He approached me in the cafeteria and randomly sat down, striking up a conversation out of the blue although everyone else had begun to avoid me since the so-called fight with Kensei. Since then, work had seemed more enjoyable and it even gave me more purpose to work in my office then at home.

I picked up the letter back up and glanced down at it.

_Dear Shuuhei,_

_I have always believed that love was worth taken chances for and have always played towards that theory. Although my love life has been… well, non-existent for the last several years there's someone that I've got my eye on. I have tried to read the signals but all them seem to have ended up in catastrophe to say the least. What should I do to actually, excuse my wording here, but woo them._

_Sincerely,_

_Loveless._

I continued to stare at the letter for a moment working through it but regardless of it, only one thought seemed to cross my mind… it was Kensei…. The timing was too perfect for it not to be and speaking that he was now avoiding me since the… incident, there was nothing else that it could mean… maybe I should just tell them to respect the other's feelings and back off. I needed a second opinion though.

I grabbed then phone and hit speed dial one to quickly connect to Yumichika's cell phone, I knew that he wouldn't be annoyed about it though – he would be excited to be perfectly honest.

Halfway through the first ring he picked up with a prying voice, "Please tell me that my favourite soap opera is continuing."

"Shut up, my life is not for your entertainment, now listen to this and tell me if you are lead to the same conclusion as me," I said before I began to read him the letter as quick as possible.

"It's definitely him but before you do something that will get you fired again, think it out. It's probably just better to go up and confront him about the matter," he said but I could sense he was slightly hoping for me to ignore his advice, "That way you won't need to make a fool of your article and you won't seem insensitive to your fan base."

"Like I give a…" I started to say but was quick enough to switch away from the conversation as Eishima's head popped through the opening door, "Sorry mom, I've got to go, I will call you when I get home tonight."

"Mom? I love it when you talk dirty," Yumichika's voice came chuckling across the phone line.

I clenched my jaw tightly before speaking again, "I've really got to go mom, I promise to talk to you tonight."

"Alright sweeties," his smug voice sounded again, "tell you mommy you love her."

"I fucking hate you," I shouted into the phone and slammed it down before realising that Eishima was still there.

I guess there are moments in life that you could control but the satisfaction of them seemed to great to pass up, I guess it was quite possible to also get out of this situation without fully expressing the truth, wouldn't really have to lie either, just stretch the truth.

"It wasn't really my mom…"

He sat a tray with a couple of sandwiches, side salads and fountain drinks on my desk and pull on of the chairs up to the other side, "I would surely hope not… but why did you call them mom…"

I felt the blood rush into my face before finding a way to make it work out, "Well it was my roommate and I know you shouldn't be making personal calls while in the office so I was trying to cover it up as best as I could."

We started to eat and the silence seemed to grow but the awkwardness seemed to die away. Most of our time well eating was spent in silences but when the conversations did come up, they always seemed to be easy to talk about.

"There's a second reason the I needed to come see you today," He said staring directly at me.

I swallowed the bit of salad that I had in my mouth and looked at him, "You mean you're not just here because you can't get enough of me? I think I am a little insulted."

He smiled before pushing back his food and taking a folded up sheet of paper out of his pocket, "This is a print out of the last four months sales report for the magazine," he said unfolding it and laying it in front of me.

I looked over and saw how it was beginning a steady climb upwards the last three issues; it'd almost doubled the previous months sales, "So I guess we are working at climbing to the top," I said smiling and looking back up at him.

"Well, there's been a lot of debate about it and although there's been a lot of ideas of why it's grown so rapidly, there's only really one reason that it could be," he said pushing it towards me and pointing at the first incline, "This was the first issue you were in and if I am not incorrect, you have became a local celebrity with your advice column and have a growing fan base."

I took the sheet and looked at it just to make sure it was the right date, "So you are incorporating the magazine's sales to me joining the team?"

"Actually, it's not just me," he said leaning back in his chair and smiling, "around our competitor's companies there's been a lot of talk of your advice column and your opinion page – although I see it more as a rant then an opinion for the most part. Regardless of that situation, there will be a banquette featuring some of the publishers from those magazines as well as the best editors and writers from each."

"And you want me to go?" I asked with a mix of nerves and triumph.

"You're names on the list of invited guests but Mr. Muguruma said that you really wouldn't be interested in going."

I wasn't sure if I would've been interested going alone but if I was to have a friend come with me then maybe it would be more tolerable, "Are you going?"

"I'm not on the list, although I could always come as your date," he said smiling directly towards me.

I almost shuttered at the word date but suppressed it because I didn't want to hurt his feelings at taking offence at such a small joke, "Then it's a date."

We finished our meals in peace, or at least silence because there was so much on my mind that peace was definitely impossible at this moment. I would have to go up to Kensei's office and have a word with him. I had to confront him about the letter and I had to tell him that I should be able to answer for myself when I get invited to these things…. I was almost dreading the conversation.


End file.
